Diagnostics of intra-family relationships using the three-tree projective technique Among the numerous projective tests that allow us to identify the characteristics of intra-family relationships, the “three trees” technique has proven itself well. It was proposed in graphic form by the Swiss psychotherapist RJ Corboz. German psychotherapist Edda Klessmann developed the “three trees” test in the context of Catathymic-imaginative psychotherapy (symboldrama). In recent years, we have been working to adapt and develop the “three trees” method in Russia in diagnostic and psychocorrectional work with children and adolescents. It is important that the “three trees” test does not initially set the task of comparing trees with family members, as is practiced in other similar tests, where the child, for example, is given the task to compare each family member with some kind of animal. E. Klessmann recommends first inviting the child to draw three trees on one horizontal sheet of paper, and only then comparing them with members of the child’s family. In this way, it is partly possible to bypass the “censorship” that prevents the penetration of unconscious material into consciousness. According to the observations of E. Klessmann, when directly asked to imagine their parents in the form of some animal or tree, children often “embellish” the chosen image because of a certain “loyalty.” Sometimes they even block the appearance of the corresponding association. Why does the technique suggest drawing exactly three trees? RJ Corboz writes that this is not a theoretical conclusion, but an observation from practical experience. For Mother's Day, the children had to draw trees. Most children drew three trees, which clearly characterized the child’s relationship with his parents. Thus, the children intuitively reflected the characteristics of intrafamily relationships. When comparing trees to family members, children usually choose themselves and their parents. But sometimes it can be a brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, or any other person, such as a neighbor (Fig. 2). In this case, in the subsequent conversation, it is important to ask the child why he chose these particular “family members” and forced out others. Fig. 2A conflict in a relationship with parents or with one of the parents can be expressed in the fact that the child is not happy with how he drew one of the trees and crosses it out (Fig. 3).Fig. 3 There are cases when a child, contrary to instructions, draws only two trees, which indicates disturbances in interaction in the family with the third object - the father, or even a complete absence of triangulatory relationships. For example, 8-year-old A., with whom diagnostic and psychocorrectional work was carried out in connection with his refusal to work at school due to ridicule from classmates, understood the instructions of the “three trees” test well, but drew only two trees (Fig. 4). From the anamnesis it is known that the child lives alone with his mother. The father left the family a week after giving birth. From one and a half to three years, the child was raised by his grandmother in the village. The mother works as a painter, picks up the child from school at lunchtime and goes back to work until the evening. All this time the child is at home alone, watching TV, drawing. The general depressive background of mood and depression are manifested in the picture in the fact that black clouds are hanging and it is raining. Slowness and inertia in the course of mental processes are manifested in the fact that the child draws very slowly. In the picture, “frozenness” symbolizes the snow under the trees. The lack of experience in normal triangulation “child-mother-father” is manifested in the fact that A. drew only two trees instead of three, since in the family he is accustomed only to relationships in the “child-mother” dyad. The child compared the big trees with himself and with...his cousin (!), whom he saw only once in his life at a send-off to the army in another city. The fact that the child compared the second tree not with his mother, but with an adult man, a cousin, testifies to how much he misses communication with his father, and how important masculinity is for him now.object for identification. The two small trees at the bottom right are two of his school friends. The total number of trees in the figure is four. This is the number of stability, immobility, there is no dynamics in it. The number four was given particular importance by C. G. Jung, who considered it the main symbolic basis of the integrity of the world and man. However, unlike the dynamic integrity symbolized by the number three and its ternary structure, the number four with its quaternary structure is characterized by static integrity. Four forms an ideally stable structure, which is reflected in the myths about the creation of the world and orientation in it (four cardinal directions, four seasons, four primary elements: fire - water - earth - air, etc.). Fig. 4The instructions for conducting the “three trees” test assume that during a preliminary conversation the child is asked about the composition of his family, what is their name, how old is someone, what family members work or study at, what kind of apartment and who lives in what room. After this, the psychologist asks the child to draw “any three trees” on a standard A4 sheet of paper, which is positioned horizontally. While the child is drawing, the psychologist, if necessary, can talk privately with the parents in the next room. When the drawing is ready, the psychologist praises the child and his drawing. Empathic support is one of the most important principles of Catathymic-imaginative psychotherapy. The child then names each tree and signs its name with the colored pencil that best matches the tree. Analysis of the drawing includes the interpretation of the main color background of the image, the color of its individual elements, and the color of the inscription. It is known that color reflects various emotional states of a person. Moreover, the same color can simultaneously evoke many different, often opposing, experiences. The symbolism of color is determined simultaneously by many factors - both inherited and those formed during life. At the same time, the formation of a symbol can be influenced by any event, starting from intrauterine development, the characteristics of the mother’s pregnancy, childbirth, development in infancy, the characteristics of potty training, the time of visiting kindergarten, etc., right up to the current situation, in where the patient is now. Symbol formation is formed according to the principle of condensation. This important analytical principle assumes that in each image or element of the drawing, symbolic reflections of many different events that happened to the patient at different times simultaneously appear. Another important analytical principle of symbol formation - the principle of ambivalence - assumes the existence of directly opposite meanings for the same symbol. That is why, when analyzing the symbolism of color, we will try to identify two main poles in the spectrum of symbolic meanings of each color, which will then help to draw the necessary diagnostic conclusions. color love, passion, erotic beginnings, inspiration, red, aggression, hatred, danger, intelligence, discipline, order, loyalty, blue, madness, irrationality, openness, freedom, glory, strength, yellow, jealousy, envy, greed, deceit, mania, delirium, personality maturity, joy, energy , the power of orange displaces other colors, the passion of struggle and wars vital growth hope green poison disease immaturity balance mysticism, witchcraft secret knowledge repentance purple inner restlessness anxiety, renunciation melancholy motherhood fertility earth brown dirt pus caldignity solemnity black death mourning sin purity harmony white ghost mourning gray ambiguity fog depression After the child has named and signed the trees, he is asked to choose the tree that he wants "I like it best." The psychologist asks the child for permission to sign on his drawing that the tree he has chosen is his favorite. This emphasizes that the drawing is the intimate space of the child himself, and the psychologist treats it with respect. In this regard, the psychologist seems to compensate for the position of an overly dominant mother,which, based on its own pathological fears and complexes, does not treat the child’s internal space with sufficient respect, for example, giving an already mature child enemas, without noticing that she is invading a private, intimate sphere. The child feels that his body does not belong to him, but to his mother. Thus, he may experience some alienation of his own body. [1; 6; 13; 14]Then the child answers the following questions from the psychologist: - Which tree is the largest? - Which tree is the smallest? - Which tree is the youngest? - Which tree is the oldest? - Which tree is the most beautiful? The sequence of questions asked is selected in such a way that first the easiest and most pleasant questions. For example, first paying attention to a “tall tree” reflects a higher assessment in terms of the level of aspirations. With this sequence, then turning to the “smaller tree” is no longer perceived as a lower assessment in terms of the level of aspiration, but as a continuation of a series of comparisons. For the same reason, it is better to first ask about the “younger tree” and only then about the “older one”. The questions “Which tree do you like best” and “Which tree is the most beautiful?” are specially separated by interfering questions so that the child does not become confused that he has just answered a similar question. At the same time, the “most liked” is not necessarily the “most beautiful” tree. The psychologist, with the child’s permission, signs all the characteristics of the trees under the corresponding tree in the drawing. As the next task, the psychologist asks the child to imagine himself as a gardener or gardener. Children must answer the question: “What could be done for each tree?” If necessary, alternative answers are offered: water, fertilize, give more heat, more light, replant, fence. The following answer option must also be mentioned: “And some trees don’t need anything at all. They’re doing well as is.” The psychologist, with the child’s permission, writes down everything he needs under each tree. Before asking the child to compare the drawn and described trees with members of his family, the psychologist offers some kind of interfering task to avoid direct comparisons and associations of the discussed properties of trees with the characteristics of family members. For example, a child can be asked to rank objects in school along the steps of a kind of ladder - from the most pleasant to the most unpleasant. Or a psychologist can conduct some kind of test. Only then is the child asked to compare each tree with members of his family. When the child does this, he is asked to sign the picture next to each tree with whom he could compare it. At the same time, for each family member, the child selects a color suitable for this person. If the drawing is burdened with conflict symbolism, E. Klessmann invites the child to imagine the trees he has drawn during the session as a drama symbol and establish some kind of relationship with them. As a metaphor, the drama symbol can be characterized as psychoanalysis using images. The method was developed by the famous German psychotherapist Hanskarl Leuner (1919-1996). The basis of the method is free fantasy in the form of images - paintings on a theme (motive) given by the psychotherapist. The psychotherapist performs a controlling, accompanying, guiding function. The conceptual basis of the method is depth psychological psychoanalytically oriented theories, analysis of unconscious and preconscious conflicts, affective-instinctive impulses, processes and defense mechanisms as a reflection of current emotional and personal problems, analysis of ontogenetic forms of conflicts in early childhood. Lying with eyes closed on the couch or sitting in In a comfortable chair, the patient is put into a state of relaxation. After this, he is asked to present images on a special topic given by the psychotherapist - a standard motive. Imagining images, the patient talks about his experiences to the person sitting next to him.